India need pace back-up to maintain supremacy: Akram

Pacers played a crucial role in India's ascent but the team would need a strong back-up line of fast bowlers to maintain their supremacy, said Akram.

Written by Press Trust of India

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New Delhi:

Pacers played a crucial role in India's recent ascent in world cricket but the team would need a strong back-up line of fast bowlers to maintain their supremacy in future, said Pakistani bowling great Wasim Akram.

Speaking in a teleconference from Pakistan, Akram said, "India is doing well in international cricket these days and their pace department is playing a crucial role in this. But they need a back up system to maintain the trend in future as well."

India has been the traditional spin powerhouse in world cricket but of late, the likes of Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma have been troubling the best of batsmen all over the world.

Akram said it augured well for India.

"The trend has changed a lot in the last two years. India have produced some really good pace bowlers like Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, R P Singh and Irfan Pathan. This is good for Indian cricket," said the former Pakistan captain.

Akram hoped relations between India and Pakistan would improve soon and the Pakistani players would get to play against "one of the best teams in the world".

"The things are getting better and I think, cricket between the countries should be restored as soon as possible. If it happens, Pakistan will also get some good international crickets," Akram said.

Wasim has been roped in by the Gatorade Centre for Pace Excellence, which will become functional in the national capital by the middle of the year and work to nurture young pace talents of the country.

The former cricketer came down heavily on the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for failing to manage cricket in the strife-torn country.

"Pakistan cricket must get more international cricket now to improve their performance. Otherwise the condition will only worsen. There is no direction in the PCB, they have no control over the players. This should change immediately if they want to change the condition," he said.